U.S. public awareness of the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement 2024
According to a May 2024 survey, roughly half of Americans had not heard about the boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel's treatment of Palestinians.
On October 7th, 2023, Hamas launched attacks on Israel, killing 1,200 Israelis. Since then, Israel has responded with retaliatory attacks and isolation of resources. As a result, over roughly 35,000 Palestinians have been killed, while most of the remaining two million Gazans have been displaced and face high levels of food insecurity and lack of clean water.
BDS in U.S. universities
Since its inception in the early 2000s, Universities have often been a target of the BDS movement. Due to the magnitude of their financial holdings, many BDS activists and students have called for divestment from companies or academic institutions with ties to Israel's activity in Palestine.
In April 2024, students at Columbia University began protesting Israel's military efforts through demonstrations and on-campus encampments. Shortly after, the protests were shut down as the NYPD raided the encampment and arrested more than 100 students. In response, the protests only intensified, with new encampments emerging in Columbia and on campuses across the country.
